Gourmet Cakes at Discount Prices

It's a sweet friends birthday tomorrow (oh gosh, I hope she doesn't read this blog) and I've volunteered to bring the cake to a small girly party. I wanted something decadent and if you know me at all it must be chocolate, but attempting to buy something from the bakery that fits that description would run me anywhere from $20 to $30 dollars.

Not gonna happen!

So I dug through my crusty and stained collection of cookbooks and came up with a Chocolate Raspberry Torte that turned out looking fantastic but was pretty simple and tastes like a gourmet cake.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

1 pkg. devils food or dark chocolate cake mix

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup raspberry jam

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sour cream

chocolate curls (shaved from a chocolate bar with my potato peeler)

fresh raspberries (although I used frozen, thawed them out, and blotted them dry)

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions to make two 9 inch round cake layers. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack, then remove layers and cool completely. With a long sharp knife, cut each layer horizontally in half to make four layers.

Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form and set aside.

In microwave on medium heat, melt chocolate chips for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Stir in sour cream.

Place 1 halved cake layer cut-side up on a serving plate. Spread with 1/3 cup jam and 1/3 of the cream. Repeat layering, ending with top cake layer cut-side down.

Frost top and sides with chocolate frosting.

Decorate with chocolate curls (I also had a leftover white chocolate bar) and raspberries. You can cut a small corner-tip off a sandwich bag and spoon in some leftover whipped cream to pipe in small clouds for the berries to sit in.

Chill until serving. Store leftovers in fridge.

(this one is from another party)

(this is the one I did today)

Total Cost $7 versus bakery bought $20 to $30.

See you CAN do this!